2. Course Objectives
• Identify four types of health hazards that are
present in the workplace.
• Discuss techniques to recognize health hazards.
• Describe tools and methods to evaluate health
hazards.
• Discuss measures to control exposure to health
hazards.
• Describe OSHA resources that available to assist
employers and employees in finding information
about health hazards.
3. Types of Health Hazards
• Chemical
• Physical
• Biological
• Ergonomic
4. Chemical Health Hazards
• The majority of health
hazards encountered in
workplace are chemical
hazards.
6. Dust
• Dust are solid particles
that are formed by
handling, crushing,
grinding, drilling, or
blasting of organic or
inorganic materials.
7. Fumes
• Fumes consists of very
small fine solid
particles in air that
form when solid
particles are heated to
a high temperature,
evaporate to vapor,
and become solid
again
8. Fibers
• Solid particles whose
length is several times
greater than their
diameter. Asbestos is
an example.
9. Vapors
• The volatile form of
substances that are
normally in a solid or
liquid state at room
temperature and
pressure.
10. Gases
• Gases are formless
fluids that expand to
occupy the space or
enclosure in which
they are confined.
12. Respiratory System
• The respiratory system
is the major route of
exposure for airborne
chemicals and dusts.
13. Health Effects
• Local
• Systemic (inhaling
solvent vapors which can be
absorbed through the lungs then
travel in the bloodstream and
cause an effect in your brain.)
14. Acute Exposure
• Acute exposures and acute effects generally
involve short-term, high concentrations, and
immediate or prompt health effects (illness,
irritation, or death).
15. Chronic Exposure
• Chronic exposure
refers to exposure
continued or repeated
for a prolonged period,
usually years. For
example, asbestosis.
17. December 2014
• Evanston IL
• $132,000 to six contractors
• OSHA's inspection found that
onsite asbestos consultant
directed the HVAC contractor
to cut and remove 60 feet of
piping that contained asbestos
insulation without PPE.
Typical asbestos pipe.
18. Risk Factors in Construction
• Daily change vs. fixed establishment
• Many contractors at onsite who may create problems for
you
• Turnover; who is responsible to train new employees?
• Several tasks during the day
Factors increasing the health risk of construction
workers include:
19. Clean Air Paradox
• Quality of Air
• 78.1% Nitrogen
• 20.9% Oxygen
• 0.9% Argon
• 0.03% Carbon
Dioxide
20. Units Seem Small
1 % = 10,000 ppm
PEL = Permissible
Exposure Limits
(OSHA)
5 Mg/M3 is very small
2 f/cc = 2,000,000f/M3
21. Health Effects
• Irritation
• Asphyxiation
• Organ Specific Effects
• Mutagen
• Teratogen
• Acute/Chronic
• Reversible vs.
Nonreversible
30. Recognition of Health Hazards
• Clues that may
indicate exposure to
chemical hazards:
– Odor
– Taste
– Particles in respiratory
system
– Acute symptoms
– Visible material in air
– Settled dust
31. Evaluation of Health Hazards
• Screening equipment
– Sound level meters
– Detector tubes and
pumps
– Radiation survey
meters
33. Past Health Hazards
• 400 BC Hippocrates
describes lead poisoning
in mines
• 1473 Ellenbog – Mercury
Poisoning
• 1700 Dr. Ramazzini
published the first edition
of his most famous book,
the De Morbis Artificum
Diatriba (Diseases of
Workers)
“I can hire one-half the
working class to kill the
other half.” Jay Gould
34. Problem #1 Noise
• BLS
• 125,000+ workers w permanent, hearing
loss since 2004
• In 2008 alone, 22,000 hearing loss cases
were reported
35.
36. #1 Noise
• 70% construction workers
were exposed to over
85dba*
• 30% over 90 dba*
• Hearing Protection worn
20%*
• Several processes
involving hammering,
cutting, blasting will cause
overexposure
• Set up an effective hearing
conservation program
38. “Effective hearing conservation
program?”
Monitoring
Engineering, work practice,
and administrative controls
Hearing protectors with an
adequate noise reduction
rating
Employee training and
education in hazards and
protection measures
Baselines and annual
audiometry
39. Audiograms
• Conduct a baseline analysis on all equipment
(New too!)
• Employees can request personal noise monitoring
at any time at VPP sites
• 60 employees were tested in IL. It cost $29.00 per
person plus some labor cost (VPP)
• Insurance carrier will charge $35.00 per person.
(VPP site)
40. #2 Lead
• Many bridges have
lead coated surfaces
• Requires compliance
with 1926.62
• Overexposure can
occur in less than 5
minutes when torch
cutting or painting Lead coating of bridge beams
usually requires an enclosure
41. Lead effects
• Chronic overexposure - severe damage to
the blood-forming, nervous, urinary, and
reproductive systems
• High levels will require medical removal
• Bridge Painting/Removal continues to be
ones of the consistent lead issues in
construction
42. Residential Lead
• Lead can be 20%
• Cadmium and arsenic above 10
micrograms
• Written Program. L, C, A
• Training L, C, A
• Determination above AL
• Protective Clothing
• Change Areas
• Decon
• Sanitary Issues for lunch
Can anyone comply?
44. #3 Silica
• Cutting, hammering,
drilling, blasting can
create high silica
levels
• Use wet methods and
wear respirators
• One of the oldest
occupational diseases
Tuckpointing has one
of the highest silica
generating process in
construction
47. Silica
• 150-200 deaths a year
(2009)
• 1150-1200 deaths a
year (1968)
• Yet….one company
had 3 silicosis and
10x+ severe
respiratory diseases
Gauley Bridge in 1920’s had
workers die in months.
48. #4 Copper Fumes - Welding
• Copper is inhalation
hazard affecting
respiratory system
• Mild steel (red iron)
and carbon steel
contain manganese
• Manganese may
cause Parkinson's
disease
What do you see?
49. #5 Total Dust
• All the things not
regulated.
• Good, bad, or
indifferent?
• Air blowing!
50. #6 Iron Oxide -Welding
• Metal fume fever
• Direct Draw or forced
ventilation should be
used
• Personal Protective
Equipment should be
used
• Bystanders should be
protected as well
51. #7 Carbon Monoxide
• Generators are most
common problem of
CO
• Heaters out of tune are
another cause
• CO TWA is 50 ppm
• Others set levels 25
ppm
52. Carbon Monoxide
• 11/8/1991
• A couple and their eight
children were found dead
late today, their bodies
scattered throughout their
small house on the city's
Southwest Side.
• The police said it appeared
that the family died of
carbon monoxide
poisoning.
• "Apparently a spot weld in a
flue pipe gave way, leaving a
three-inch gap [ that ] caused
byproducts of combustion,
including carbon monoxide, to
recirculate throughout the
home.“
• A neighbor said he saw
repairmen working at the house
last week
54. #8 Hex Chrome
• Stainless steel contains
nickel and chromium
• Some cements
• Expanded standard
like lead.
• PEL is 5
micrograms/m3
• Chromic ulcers,
perforated nose, lung
cancer
I see it with MIG and stick. -
Janice Turner
55. Also, is there a requirement to retest atmosphere for Hexavalent
Chromium if the process hasn’t changed since the last test?
If you have to retest – how often do you have to do it
• depends on the level found. see below.
• Exposure Scenario - Required Monitoring Activity
• Below the Action Level (< 2.5ug/m3)- No periodic monitoring
required for workers represented by the initial monitoring.
• At or above the Action Level but at or below the PEL (2.5 µg/m3 to 5
µg/m3)- Monitor every six months.
• Above the PEL (> 5 µg/m3)- Monitor every three months
56. # 9 Cadmium
• Overexposure to
cutting cadmium bolts,
coated poles
• Torch cutting should
never be used
• Use hydraulic bolt
cutters
• Comply with
1926.1127 Cadmium bolts are often
found in sprinkler pipe use.
58. August 2015
• Cleveland OH
• Worker apparently was
overcome with chemical fumes
while stripping the glaze off a
bathtub.
• The agency says 14 people have
died nationwide since 2000
related to bathtub refinishing
with stripping agents containing
methylene chloride
61. Asbestos
• 3000 die in the US
• Some are spouses
or kids of asbestos
workers
• Stephanie Harper
of the North Texas
city of Bonham
62. June 2014
• The asbestos lawsuit that
saw a $1 million award
• Richard Rost has
Mesothelioma
• Defendants included Ford
Motor Company (Ford),
General Electric,
Westinghouse and Ingersoll-
Rand.
• However, the latter three
defendants settled with the
plaintiffs out of court, before
the trial had an opportunity
to begin.
Overall, nearly 3,000 people
are diagnosed with mesothelioma each
year in the United States, which represents
0.02 percent of all U.S. cancer cases.
63. Asbestos
• $1.8 million dollar fine to IL
Roofer for OSHA violations
for asbestos.
• “This case stands out
because of the outrageous
behavior of Joseph Kehrer,”
said Assistant Secretary of
Labor for Occupational
Safety and Health David
Michaels.
• Workers were threatened
with firing if they spoke to
investigators, Michaels said.
64. Heat Stress
• Train the workforce
• Perform the heaviest work in the
coolest part of the day
• One GC stops outside work at
noon.
• Slowly build up tolerance to the
heat and the work activity
(usually takes up to two weeks)
• Drink plenty of cool water (one
cup every 15-20 minutes)
• Wear light, loose-fitting,
breathable (cotton) clothing Take frequent short breaks in
cool or shaded areas
Provide fans
65. June 2013
• June 25
• Death of a 36-year-old worker
who developed heat stroke at a
job site in Chicago.
• The company was installing
electrical conduit in an
uncovered trench.
• "This worker died from heat
stress on his first day on the
job.”
• “This tragedy underscores the
need for employers to ensure
that new workers become
acclimated and build a tolerance
to working in excessive heat
with a program of water, rest
and shade," said Dr. David
Michaels,
• "A worker's first day on the job
shouldn't be the last day of their
life."
67. Paint Solvents
• Ventilation is required
or overexposure can
result
• Fire Hazard
• Electrical must be
Class I if within 20
feet during open
spraying with
flammable paints
Tank painting. What could go
wrong?
68. Tank Coating
• What issues are
needed if spraying
a rust resistance
coating?
71. Confined Spaces
• Manholes, pits, vaults,
tanks, are common
confined spaces
• Ensure atmosphere is
safe by testing and
ventilating
Worker in a sludge pit exposed
to lead, arsenic, and cadmium
72. Diesel Fuel Exhaust
• blue smoke (mainly oil and
unburnt fuel)
• black smoke (soot, oil and
unburnt fuel);
• white smoke (water droplets
and unburnt fuel)
• Diesel Fuel Exhaust is
reasonably anticipated to be
a human carcinogen per
IARC
What else is toxic
in this ????
73. Back Strains
• Many workers out in
construction with bad
backs
• Due to lifting and
twisting constantly
• Heavy loads should
have assistance via
machines or another
person
Workers shoveling under a
pipe. Safe or unsafe job?
77. Bloodborne Pathogens
• To protect workers
from the risk of
exposure to biological
agents, such as
bloodborne pathogens,
OSHA issued the
Bloodborne Pathogens
Standard.
79. Legionella
• August 2015
• 7 dead, 87 sickened
• Transmission of Legionnaires’
disease occurs when
microscopic airborne droplets
of water that contains LDB are
inhaled by an at-risk host
• Early symptoms can include
low fever, headache, aching
joints and muscles, fatigue and
lack of energy, and loss of
appetite.
80. West Nile
• Use DEET or lemon
eucalyptus based sprays
for protection
• Clothing can be treated
with Permethrin
• Wear light color clothing
and reduce exposed skin
• 2014 – IL had 44
cases, 4 died
82. Radiation
• Radiation sources are
found in a wide range
of occupational
settings. If radiation is
not properly
controlled, it can be
potentially hazardous
to the health of
workers.
83. Creosote
• Contact with skin can result in
irritation which when not
washed off or when accentuated
by sunlight, can result in minor
burns
• The application of a barrier
cream (e.g. Ply 9 Gel, MSA's
Fend AE-2, Kerodex 51,
Jergens SBS-46) is
recommended to prevent coal
tar containing products from
contacting skin.
• IARC/NTP potential
Carcinogen
89. Where Can You Find Information on
Health Hazards
• OSHA Website
Compliance Assistance Website
Safety and Health Topics
Industry Specific Topics
Limited Access Website
Electronic Technical Assistance
Tools (e-Tools) and Expert Systems
Slide Presentations and Videos
Multimedia Enhancements
Targeted CD-ROMs
OSHA Website
Compliance Assistance Website
Safety and Health Topics
Industry Specific Topics
Limited Access Website
Electronic Technical Assistance
Tools (e-Tools) and Expert Systems
Slide Presentations and Videos
Multimedia Enhancements
Targeted CD-ROMs
94. Quiz
• CO PEL is ___ ppm.
• Name one place where cadmium can be found in
construction. ______________
• ____% Oxygen is in normal air.
• Which color smoke from a diesel engine is a concern?
__________________
• Overexposure can occur in less than ____ minutes
when torch cutting lead painted surfaces
• The Short Term Exposure Limit (STEL) is for ____
minutes
95. Summary
• A baseline hazard analysis for normal
routine tasks is accomplished by use of a
Job Safety Analysis (JSA)
96. Further
• This ppt was prepared by John Newquist as a
preliminary aid for people required to evaluate
health hazards in construction
• Thanks to Kim Stille and Richard Gilgrist for the
many training sessions on the subject
• Janet Schulte for corrections and suggestions.
• This is not an official OSHA publication. Those
will be on the OSHA.gov website.
• My contact information is
Newquist.john@dol.gov or 312-353-5977 if you
see any errors.
• This is a draft as of the date on the first slide.
97. April 2014 to do
• Keystone and lafarge bring in 69,000 volts
to the cement facilities.
• Cal osha prohibited dry cutting of concrete
• Control dust by regular damping. Vehicle
speeds.
• Operating engineer want to retrofit cabs.
Determine ℅ silica before work. Competent
person checklist. Task specific checklist for
drilling. Rock crushing. Training onsite
people to collect data. Use material testers.
Look at how long dust takes to settle.
98. • Need to add table 1 to ppt
• Half of table 1 activities are operating engineers
• Year to year and half to look at data. Hex chrome and ergo took 1.5
years to get to department review final rule then there is OMB review
of the final rule.
• Getting pressure to hold second sbrefa panels but declined
• American chemistry council and construction coalition hired one
expert who did very detailed analysis with multiple spreadsheets
• Required med exams every 3years
• Table 1 is a safe harbor? Silica
• Silica proposed 50 micrograms m3
• Final briefs on silica July 18 2014